Coronavirus updates: Utah reports 409 new cases; Utah Medical Association pushes universal mask wearing

By KSL.com staff | Updated - July 20, 2020 at 8:14 p.m. | Posted - July 20, 2020 at 6:45 a.m.

Estimated read time: Less than a minute

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SALT LAKE CITY — Here are the latest updates on COVID-19 from Utah and around the world.

If you’re on a mobile device and can’t see the updates below, click on this link.

Monday, 08:09 pm

BYU research analysis shows masks still most effective in fighting spread of COVID-19

After countless hours buried in research not necessarily related to their specialty, a group of researchers from Brigham Young University feel like they have made sense for the wearing masks or cloth face coverings to halt the spread of COVID-19.Ben Abbott, an assistant professor of environmental science at BYU, was one of four researchers at the university who pored through 130 scientific papers about the costs, benefits and disadvantages of mask-wearing in response to the global pandemic.If the group — which also includes Mitchell Greenhalgh and Isaac St. Clair from environmental science, and Jonas Bush from genetics, genomics and biotechnology — doesn’t sound like one that might typically deliver a cost-benefit analysis of mask-wearing, it’s because it isn’t.— Sean Walker, KSL.com

Monday, 08:06 pm

Trump, Congress square off over virus aid as crisis worsens

President Donald Trump acknowledged Monday a “big flare up” of COVID-19 cases, but divisions between the White House and Senate Republicans and differences with Democrats posed fresh challenges for a new federal aid package with the U.S. crisis worsening and emergency relief about to expire.Trump convened GOP leaders at the White House as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell prepared to roll out his $1 trillion package in a matter of days. But the administration criticized the legislation’s money for more virus testing and insisted on a payroll tax cut that could complicate quick passage. The timeline appeared to quickly shift.“We’ve made a lot of progress,” Trump said as the meeting got underway.

— Associated Press

Monday, 03:45 pm

Utah Medical Association pushes universal mask wearing in Utah

The Utah Medical Association released a statement Monday in support of universal mask wearing, social distancing and hand hygiene."If everyone would do these simple things, the virus could be stopped much sooner and we could return to normal social and economic activity," said Dr. Matt Wilson, UMA President. "But without these measures, we are likely to see a prolonged pandemic with resultant harms to our health and economic stability.""Please, wear the mask," Wilson added. "Wash your hands often and keep your distance in public. These may seem like little things. So is giving blood. But each can save lives. These are the simplest ways I know to be a hero every day."For more information, visit the UMA COVID-19 website.— Tracie Snowder, KSL.com

Monday, 02:11 pm

409 more COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths reported in Utah Monday

Utah’s number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 409 from Sunday, with four more deaths reported, according to the Utah Department of Health.The health department now estimates there are 12,776 active cases of COVID-19 in Utah. The new numbers indicate a 1.2% increase in positive cases since Sunday.

The rolling seven-day average number of positive cases per day is now at 611.7, according to the health department. The positive test rate per day for that time period is now 9.8%.For a full analysis of Utah's daily COVID-19 numbers, click here.—Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com

Monday, 12:14 pm

Latter-day Saint leaders announce changes to endowment ceremony as some temples move to Phase 2

With the first 12 temples set to reopen for all living ordinances next week, The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced changes to the temple endowment ceremony on Monday.“With a concern for all and a desire to enhance the temple learning experience, recent changes have been authorized to the temple endowment ceremony,” President Russell M. Nelson, President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring in a letter.— Ryan Miller, KSL.com

Monday, 12:14 pm

Utah County man battles development, coronavirus to keep family farm alive

Rex Larsen of Leland near Spanish Fork faced a decision: either let someone put a gas station or a McDonald’s on his family’s land, or find another way to survive.“Any idea was on the table, and corn maze and pumpkin patch was kind of what rose to the top,” Larsen said.Though their idea has been a success, the coronavirus has created a challenge.Read the story here.— Ray Boone, KSL TV

Monday, 09:00 am

UK coronavirus vaccine prompts immune response in early test

Scientists at Oxford University say their experimental coronavirus vaccine has been shown in an early trial to prompt a protective immune response in hundreds of people who got the shot.British researchers first began testing the vaccine in April in about 1,000 people, half of whom got the experimental vaccine. Such early trials are designed to evaluate safety and see what kind of immune response was provoked, but can't tell if the vaccine truly protects.In research published Monday in the journal Lancet, scientists said that they found their experimental COVID-19 vaccine produced a dual immune response in people aged 18 to 55 that lasted at least two months after they were immunized.—Associated Press

Monday, 06:40 am

GOP leaders, Trump to discuss virus aid as crisis deepens

Top Republicans in Congress were expecting to meet Monday with President Donald Trump on the next COVID-19 aid package as the administration panned more virus testing money and interjected other priorities that could complicate quick passage.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was prepared to roll out the $1 trillion package in a matter of days. But divisions between the Senate GOP majority and the White House posed fresh challenges.— Associated Press

Monday, 06:40 am

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

Sunday numbers show 785 new coronavirus cases in Utah

Virus rebounds around the world, deaths top 600,000

FDA approves Quest COVID-19 test for 'pooled' sample use

Congress confronts new virus crisis rescue as pandemic grows

Top health officials have changed their minds about face masks — but for good reasons

Read all of yesterday's COVID-19 news here.

Coronavirus updates: Utah reports 409 new cases; Utah Medical Association pushes universal mask wearing

By KSL.com staff | Updated - July 20, 2020 at 8:14 p.m. | Posted - July 20, 2020 at 6:45 a.m.

(Photo: Josh Bell, The Sun News via AP)

BYU research analysis shows masks still most effective in fighting spread of COVID-19

Trump, Congress square off over virus aid as crisis worsens

Utah Medical Association pushes universal mask wearing in Utah

409 more COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths reported in Utah Monday

Latter-day Saint leaders announce changes to endowment ceremony as some temples move to Phase 2

Utah County man battles development, coronavirus to keep family farm alive

UK coronavirus vaccine prompts immune response in early test

GOP leaders, Trump to discuss virus aid as crisis deepens

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

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Coronavirus updates: Utah reports 409 new cases; Utah Medical Association pushes universal mask wearing

By KSL.com staff | Updated - July 20, 2020 at 8:14 p.m. | Posted - July 20, 2020 at 6:45 a.m.

(Photo: Josh Bell, The Sun News via AP)

BYU research analysis shows masks still most effective in fighting spread of COVID-19

Trump, Congress square off over virus aid as crisis worsens

Utah Medical Association pushes universal mask wearing in Utah

409 more COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths reported in Utah Monday

Latter-day Saint leaders announce changes to endowment ceremony as some temples move to Phase 2

Utah County man battles development, coronavirus to keep family farm alive

UK coronavirus vaccine prompts immune response in early test

GOP leaders, Trump to discuss virus aid as crisis deepens

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

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FDA narrows under-65 COVID vaccine eligibility, maintains full access for older Americans

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CDC drops COVID vaccine recommendations for healthy children, pregnant women

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